For Veteran’s Day, we visited the Layton Vietnam Memorial, which is a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial found in Washington D.C. This is a great spot to honor veterans who served our country not only on Veteran’s Day, but anytime throughout the year.
Two years ago, we visited Washington DC, and we were able to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial while we were there. It is such a sobering and reverent feeling to stand next to the wall with so many names. Each name is someone who died in Vietnam. Visiting the wall in Layton is very much the same. The wall is slightly smaller in size, but the names and feeling are the same.
Walking from end to end and looking at the names is humbling. There are over 58,000 names on the wall. Before we arrived we talked about the importance of the memorial and how to behave respectfully and reverently. When we got to the memorial, we spent a few minutes discussing with our kids what happened in the Vietnam War and what this memorial means. There is also a small display of flags with the branches of the military and the American Flag.
It was snowing pretty hard when we visited, so we want to go back when it’s better weather to spend a little more time. One of the things we love about the memorial in DC is that you can see your reflection, and that is for you to ponder how you fit into the story and memorial. On a nicer day, this replica wall would have the same reflection, too.
The Layton Vietnam Memorial Wall is located next to Layton Commons Park. The address is 508 Constitution Circle, Layton. There is a small parking area next to the memorial, as well as street parking. For more information, visit Layton City’s page.
